Passive cooling in an aviary

Hi, I’m taking care of my mom (70) who just had surgery. She has an aviary with cockatiels and parakeets that she runs an AC on regularly. I’d like to set up some semi passive cooling to cut down on this. My idea is to spray down the wood chips on the floor and just run a small fan. My question is; will the poop create a health problem for the birds in the evaporation process? She only changes wood chips about once every two months. Humidity varies considerably (50 yesterday, 80 today but it was cool last night and hasn’t reached 80F yet today). TIA

I think, unfortunately, yes, it would probably be problematic. In my experience, water birds the only birds that are ok with damp or wet ground. The added moisture, especially in any level of heat, also opens they floor to mold and mildew, which could put at risk both their health and the health of the humans who care for them. Have you considered adding a dehumidifier? They require less electricity than an a/c unit, but can be very effective, if the area is humid.

Not sure on birdies, but for my ferrets I used to just put frozen water bottles/pop bottles in with them.  Used to do the same for rabbits when I lived where it got over 100º.   I've had cockatiels and parakeets, but I'm not sure how keen they would be on snuggling up to a frozen bottle...  Maybe if you could find a way to trap some of the cold air exchanging from the bottle, like a little "birdie cooler" they can hang out in?  Just a shot in the dark...  

Air movement helps tremendously with cooling, but cold drafts are bad.  If you have a way to vent very high, with an opening for inflow of air, it will create a thermo-siphon that will keep it as cool as the surrounding air with added air flow.  80 degrees F should be no problem for either type of bird.  I think quick temperature changes are more dangerous to them than 80 degree temps are.

I would be concerned with fungi in a situation that combined wood chips, moisture, and bird poop.

If you did find a way to vent very high, as Trace suggests, you could place a large lidded crock, or a giant pottery urn with a lid, and fill it with water, with cheesecloth or other wicking fabric sitting in the water, with its fringe spread out over the exterior of the crock. Airflow evaporates the water in the cheesecloth, cooling the crock, the water, and eventually the air around it, and the cheesecloth wicks more water from the container to replace what has evaporated, continuing the process until the container is empty. It needn't cool the entire aviary, either, only to sit in a corner, preferably near-enough to the walls that they are also cooled and the cooler air contained to an extent, in the shade, with perches, such that the birds can choose a cooler perch if desired.

-CK